Banjo



J. A. BOLANDER.

' 1 BANJO.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1917.

Patented May 17, 1921.

INVENI' R EULA NOE/7 JOHN A- UNITED STATES JOHN A. BOLANDER, OFBERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

BANJO.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd lay 17, 1921.

Application filed June 25, 1917. Serial No. 176,775.

To aZZ w ham it may concern Be it known that I, JoHN A. BoLANnnR,

a citizen of the United States, residin at Berkeley, county of Alameda,State of alifornia, have invented certain new and use,- ful Improvementsin Banjos, whereof the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends improve ments in musical instruments andrelates more particularly to stringed instruments of the banjo family.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved means forsecuring the head to the body or rim of an instrument of this type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means which doesaway with the use of a tail piece for connecting the strings to the rimof the instrument.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangements of parts aswill be hereinafter described, illustrated and claimed.

In the one sheet of drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved instrument.

Fig. 2 is an inverted perspective view showing the body ofthe'instrument.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged central sectional view through the body of theinstrument, and

Fig. 4. is an enlarged section through the rim showing the manner ofattaching the strings thereto.

Referring in detail to the embodiments of my invention shown in thedrawings,1 designates the preferably wooden rim to which is secured theneck 2 provided with the tuning pegs 3 in the usual manner. The rim ismortised or recessed to receive the neck, whereby a firm connectionbetween these two members is obtained.

The rim or shell 1 is formed of substantial thickness with an interiorcontinuous groove 4, into which the marginal-portion of the flexiblehead 5 is forced by the clamping ring 6, which is a ring of preferablyspring wire and which forces the marginal portion into the groove andclamps it therein. The head 5 is carried beyond the clamping ring 6 andis bent back upon itself into engagement with the body portion of thehead, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

To tighten the head and hold it taut a hoop 7 is employed which fitswithin the rim 1 and holds the edge of the head against the body portionthereof. This hoop is held in position and adjusted to bear against thehead with the proper pressure by means of a plurality of screws 8 whichthread through angular brackets 9 secured to the interior of the rim 1by any suitable means, such as the fastening screws 10. The upper endsof the screws are pointed and engage centers in the lower edge of thehoop 7, and their ends are'slotted to be engaged by a screw driver orother tuning tool.

.To throw the sound of the instrument for+ ward and minimize thequantity absorbed by the clothes and body of the player, a reflector 11in the form of a curved plate is secured to the rear edge of the rim byany suitable means, such as screws 1.2, or may be adjustably mountedthereon if desired.

The reflector curves downwardly away from the head 5 and covers aportion of the hollow of the rim so that the sound may easily escapethrough the uncovered portion.

The strings 13 pass over the bridge 1 1 and through the inclinedopenings 15 to recesses 16 where they are knotted as shown particularlyin Fig. 4. The other ends of the strings are connected to the pegs 3 inthe usual manner. This manner of attaching the strings to the rim 1 isvery simple and practical, and does away with the use of a tail piece,such as is now commonly employed.

While I have shown my invention embodied in a banjo, it is to beunderstood that I do not wish to be limited to this particular kind ofinstrument but may apply the idea to other instruments of a similarnature, to which it is readily applicable.

Having thus described my invention, and an embodiment of it, in thefull, clear and exact terms required by law, and knowing that itcomprises novel and valuable improvements in the art to which itpertains, I hereby state that I do not wish to be limited to the preciseconstruction and arrangement of the several parts, as herein set forth,as the same may be variously modified by a skilled mechanic withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is the following, to-wit:--

1. A musical string instrument, comcontinuous groove, a head, a springring fitting in said groove and holding the head therein, the edge ofthe head being extended beyond said spring ring and bent back beneaththe head, a hoop within said lOO y engaging the extended edge of thehead and means for forcing said hoop outwardly.

2. A musical instrument, comprising an annular body, a neck and aflexible head for said body, strings mounted above said flexible head,and extending entirely across the same, said strings being secured tosaid neck and to said annular body.

3. A musical instrument, comprising an annular body, a neck and aflexible head for said annular body, passages in said annular body,strings mounted above said flexible head and extending entirely acrossthe same, said strings being secured to said neck and in said passages.

4. A musical instrument, comprising an annular body, a neck and aflexible head for said annular body, the rear edge of said annular bodybeing formed with passages, strings mounted above said flexible head andextending entirely across the same, said strings being secured to saidneck and ex tending through said passages, and means to secure saidstrings in said passages.

5. A musical instrument, comprising an annular body, a neck and aflexible head for said annular body, passages provided with recesses, insaid annular body, strings mounted above said flexible head andextending entirely across the same, said strings bein secured to saidneck and extendin D 10 through said passages and secured in saidrecesses.

65. A musical instrument, comprising an annular body of substantialthickness, a neck and a flexible head for said annular body, the rearedge of said body being provided with an inwardly extending recess,inclined passages communicating with said recess, strings mounted abovesaid flexible head and extending entirely across the same, said stringsbeing secured to said neck and extending through said passages andsecured in said recess.

7. A musical string instrument, comprising an annular body ofsubstantial thickness having downwardly opening recesses formed therein,passages leading from said recesses to the top face of the body andstrings extending over said body through said passages into saidrecesses and there secured.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereto set my hand inthe presenceof two witnesses, this 9th day of June, 1917 JOHN A.BoLANmER, Jr., LOUISE BEARDEN.

